5 Habits

Sharing with you this morning 5 habits that help me have a more productive day....(don't believe me?  Try it and let me know if it works for you like it does me!)

Habit #1 - Wake up before your kids
No picture because you don't want to see me in the morning!  I've been doing this since my little Isaac was a few months old.  I feel more in control of our day if I'm up before the kids.  On occasion I don't get up before them and its not usually a great day.  Since I am a morning person I do get up 2.5 hours before my kids.  I know some of you think I'm crazy!!  Trust me, I go to bed early!!  In that 2.5 hours I have time to be with the Lord, read, surf the net, exercise, get dressed and maybe a few chores done.  My boys are not allowed to get my attention until 7 or 7:30.  I started this when they were very young and old enough to be in a toddler bed where they could get up by themselves and it has worked wonderfully!  If you are not a morning person, I suggest waking at least 30 min before your kids.

Habit #2 - Empty sink before bed

 Ok, I know its not completely empty because I did round up 3 used glasses from yesterday before taking the picture.  When we first got married getting dishes cleaned before bed was not a priority.  Every morning I would wake up to dirty dishes.  It was so depressing!  Even with a dishwasher at our 2nd (now current) home, we would still have pots and pans that needed to be washed.  Then I heard of www.flylady.net and it completely changed our evening routine.  Now, I don't shine my sink and a lot of time there are drying clean dishes that need to be put away in the morning but there is hardly ever a dirty dish in my sink when I go to bed each night.  I love walking into a fairly clean kitchen.  Now, my countertops can be cluttered but that doesn't bother me as much as dirty dishes.  So this is our absolute number one habit we try to do each and every night.  I have an incredible husband that makes sure all dishes are cleaned if I'm away from home in the evening.  I've been doing this since my youngest was a baby so its definitely doable and will make a tremendous difference!

Habit #3 - A made bed

 I don't make sure everything looks just right but I do make my bed every day.  If I don't get around to it, I hate walking into my bedroom each day.  I once read that just by making your bed, it makes your room look 80% cleaner.  How easy is that!?!  Nothing fancy today, just made up so that when I walk into my room there is a peace and calmness about it.

Habit #4 - A clean desk

 This is a habit I am still working to form and I started putting it on my to do list every day.  Everyone (including me) piles stuff of my desk.  Not sure why its the catch all.  So last night I made it a priority to put stuff away and it was so refreshing to walk into my office this morning even though there is clutter everywhere else (not pictured!).

This was not last night's before but this just gives you a glimpse of what it normally looks like.  :)

Habit #5 - Quick pick up each day

The clock isn't normally on the couch but we are painting our dining room (pics to follow later) so its there today.  One thing I try to do with the boys each day is have a pick up time before Jeff gets home.  This allows me to feel more at ease during this rather tiring/stressful time of evening as I'm getting ready to leave for the evening and/or getting dinner ready.  It's also great to walk downstairs in the morning and see this clean room first thing!

What are habits that you do each and every day to help make your day a little bit easier?